Welcome to Introduction to Psychology PSY 1010-001 Professor: Stephen Prunier Class Time: TR 11:00 am-12:15 pm Classroom: Field House (FH) 2100 Office: University Hall (UH) 5015 Office Hours: MT 9:00 am 10:30 am or by appointment E-mail Address: Stephen.Prunier@rockets.utoledo.edu Text and Equipment S.K. Ciccarelli & J.N. White Psychology, 3rd edition, with access to the ebook, audiobook, and MyPsychLabPlus. Pearson is the publisher The cover for the standard edition is shown on the left; the custom edition sold at the UT bookstore may have a different cover and say 1st edition, but the authors and title should be the same. The least expensive option is to purchase access to the ebook and online materials either from the bookstore or directly at the publisher s website for about $104. If you prefer to have a hard copy of the textbook, the custom edition with the online access will be about $130. If you purchase the text separately, you will need to purchase online access to MyPsychLabPlus. Virtually the entire course (other than classroom lectures and discussion) will be contained in MyPsychLabPlus, but you will enter MyPsychLabPlus through the UT Blackboard course site. You will have about two weeks of free access to MyPsychLabPlus starting the first day of class. You will need a fast Internet connection to do the homework (Never use a phone modem). Firefox and Safari are the best browsers for use with Blackboard and MyPsychLabPlus. Do not use Internet Explorer. If you have trouble, click on Learner Support for help. Most of your course activity with be in MyPsychLabPlus. On the blackboard site there is a link on the left navigation column that will take you to MyPsychLabPlus. Begin each chapter using the Study Plan. That presents you with a Pretest for the chapter, hints on where to find information on items you miss, and a Posttest for the chapter. Then watch all the assigned videos (they are short) and do any simulations assigned and take the quizzes over them. You will 1
have two opportunities to take these so you can get the best possible score. If you miss any questions the first time, re-do the assignment and try again. You will be given the correct answers for any you miss after the second attempt. Finally, take the chapter Quick Reviews that are assigned and again you can have two chances to get a perfect score. Quick Reviews are listed by topic in the assignment calendar and you can see your progress in the MyPsychLab tab called My Progress after you click on Explore more media resources. These quizzes are all short and help you review and assess your learning. Some of these questions reappear in exams. There are also short writing assignments to help you organize your thinking and to improve your composition skills. All of these assignments constitute 10% of your course grade. Scope - Course Description This is a General Education Social Science Core course and there are no prerequisites. This course is designed to help you gain an appreciation of the scientific basis of the entire discipline of Psychology. You will learn about what psychologists study, how they study it, what they know (or might know), and, if you have some skepticism, you will recognize some of the difficulties in understanding behavior. Time Commitments for this Course As for any 3-hour course that lasts a full 15 weeks, expect to spend about 9-12 hours per week reading the textbook, going through the online media materials (paying special attention to those that are specifically assigned), doing chapter reviews, flash cards, writing assignments, and studying on your own if you want to get the highest grade of which you are capable. Student Learning Objectives Based on American Psychological Association Undergraduate Learning Goals and Outcomes. The UT Core objectives are emphasized in blue type. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding representing appropriate breadth and depth in selected content areas of psychology: 1) Theory and research representing each of the following four general domains: a) Learning and cognition b) Individual differences, psychometrics, personality, and social processes, including those related to sociocultural and international dimensions c) Biological bases of behavior and mental processes, including physiology, sensation, perception, comparative, motivation, and emotion 2
d) Developmental changes in behavior and mental processes across the life span 2) The history of psychology, including the evolution of methods of psychology, its theoretical conflicts, and its sociocultural contexts 3) Relevant levels of analysis: cellular, individual, group/systems, and culture 4) Themes, persistent questions, & enduring conflicts in psychology a) The interaction of heredity and environment b) Variability and continuity of behavior and mental processes within and across species c) Free will versus determinism d) Subjective versus objective observations e) The interaction of mind and body Students will be able to enumerate evidence underlying beliefs about behavior a. Recognize major perspectives of psychology (e.g., behavioral, biological, cognitive, evolutionary, humanistic, psychodynamic, and sociocultural). 1. Compare and contrast major perspectives 2. Describe advantages and limitations of major theoretical perspectives b. Recognize different research methods used by psychologists. 1. Describe how various research designs address different types of questions and hypotheses 2. Articulate strengths and limitations of various research designs 3. Distinguish the nature of designs that permit causal inferences from those that do not Students will demonstrate an influence of psychological principles on their behavior, specifically study strategies a. Demonstrate self-regulation in setting and achieving goals Regular and spaced study sessions in the form of recall practice quizzes b. Assess your own performance accurately Use feedback from quizzes and study plan to realistically assess own knowledge Students will answer short essay questions with concise clear statements that directly address the question a. Demonstrate professional writing conventions (e.g., grammar, audience awareness, formality) appropriate to purpose and context Assessment of Learning Grades will be based 80% on Exams and 20% on attendance/participation, post-tests, Quick-Review Quizzes, writing assignments, and Quizzes over the media assignments. Knowledge of the material in the textbook and online material as well as successful 3
completion of assignments will be demonstrated by correctly answering multiple-choice questions on the textbook and content of the online assignments. Pacing For This Course & Planning For Exams You must submit assignments and exams on or before the due date. Late exams are accepted, but each day late reduces the score by 20 percentage points three full letter grades. All assignments and exams are listed in the calendar in MyPsychLab. Excused absences You must inform the instructor if you have an excused absence as soon as you know about it. If you must attend a university event, turn in assignments before the due date; make arrangements to take exams early. If you are sick, you must provide some evidence of illness and let the instructor know as soon as you are able in order to have the automatic late penalty removed from your exam or assignment. Missed work must be made up before the last day of classes. If you cannot do this you should withdraw from the course before the 10th week of the semester or petition for a medical or emergency withdrawal before the end of the course. Information in the Textbook This comprises about 75% of the course. You must understand the text, so keep a dictionary handy and use the glossary. For example, you will need to know what subjective means, the difference between affect and effect, and whether phenomena is a singular or plural word. Even spelling is important. Merriam-Webster's pronouncing dictionary is linked on the course menu. The remaining 25% of the course is based on the lectures, media assignments, and writing assignments. These are listed in the course calendar in MyPsychLab. There will be five exams each covering three chapters; check the schedule below or the Assignment Calendar in MyPsychLabPlus. There is also a pretest covering the entire course to let us know how much you know about psychology before taking the course. Assignments and Readings are Required These will vary for each chapter and are shown in the calendar. First read the text and do the study plan, then go through the assignments and any other items in MyPsychLabPlus that strike you as interesting and answer the questions about them, then do the short quick check quizzes to see how well 4
you understand and remember the material. The assignments are short MyPsychLab activities or videos. These allow you to perform experiments that illustrate important concepts to help you remember complex findings, some show you how psychological findings can be used in your own life, and many let you test yourself to see how well you are learning. Some of these questions will also appear in exams, so do all assignments listed in the calendar they are required. Exams There will be 5 exams each covering three chapters and associated assignments. You are not allowed to use your textbook or notes on exams. Exams have time limits. If you know the material well, you can finish with time to spare. All exams will be taken either in class or in a designated computer lab. If you miss an exam, you can make it up but there is a penalty of 20% for every day that it is late. If you must take an exam late because of a death in your family or your own illness, you will not be penalized if you document your reason. The best approach is to prepare early so that you can take the exam a little early in case you get called to work or something else unexpected happens. Being prepared gives you flexibility so you can manage even when life gets complicated. If, because of extraordinary circumstances, you are allowed to retake an exam, the second score will be the one recorded and the first score is automatically erased. Review Questions. All exams except the first one include review questions from previous chapters. A quick review should help you answer these and the frequent reviews will help you when it comes time to study for the Final exam. Reviewing is important to consolidate your long-term memory. Course Pretest and Posttest: We want to know how much you learn in this course. Accordingly, there will be a comprehensive Course Pretest given the first day of the course and a comprehensive Final given at the end. Research Participation As part of the learning requirement for this course students are required to participate in research being conducted within the department. The purpose of this research participation is to give students exposure to how the science of psychology is conducted. By participating in research a student should gain a better understanding of the research process through which psychology advances its knowledge of the human brain/mind. To receive full credit in participation a student must complete 4 hours worth of research participation. You will be given an incomplete in the class if you do not complete your research participation. 5
Students who do not wish to participate in research have the option of completing an alternate assignment. The assignment will be a research paper on a topic in the field of psychology. The instructor will assign the topic of the assignment on an individual basis. If you wish to complete the alternative assignment please set up a time to meet with me outside of class. For additional information on the research requirements see the expanded requirements listed on Blackboard. Course Evaluation Criteria 1. 65% Five exams (13% each) 2. 15% Comprehensive final 3. 15% Homework (post-tests and quizzes), attendance, research participation 4. 5% Writing Assignments Grading Scale* A = 92.5-100% A- = 90-92.49% B+ = 87.5-89.99% B = 82.5-87.49% B- = 80-82.49% C+ = 77.5-79.99% C = 72.5-77.49% C- = 70-72.49% D+ = 67.5-69.99% D = 62.5-67.49% D- = 60-62.49% F = 59.9% and below W - if you withdraw from the course after the end of the drop period. IN - Incomplete grades are only assigned in extraordinary circumstances beyond the student s control and only if the student has completed at least 3 exams with a passing grade. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to retake an entire course in order to complete this course. Not Attending - Failure to do assignments and take exams will be reported to the registrar and such non-attendance may affect your financial aid. *The percentage is determined by dividing your total points by the total points possible on assignments and exams; assignments are totaled and given a weight of 15%, writing assignments are totaled and given a weight of 6
5%, exams are totaled and given a weight of 65%, and the final is given a weight of 15%. Questions and Comments about Psychology If you have questions or comments about human or animal behavior that we are studying, please raise these in class they make the course more interesting. If you still have questions about how this course works after reading the syllabus carefully, please email me so I can clarify it. If you need technical help, contact the help desk at Learning Ventures or MyPsychLabPlus Support. You may now be ready to take the first test in this course. Take the Course Pretest immediately. It will not affect your grade but it will show how much you learn in this course and how much you already know about psychology. Academic Dishonesty Academic dishonesty will be enforced in accordance with the University of Toledo s policy found here: http://www.utoledo.edu/dl/students/dishonesty.html Plagiarism Plagiarism is the inclusion of someone else's product, words, ideas, or data as one's own work. When a student submits work for credit that includes the product, words, ideas, or data of others, the source must be acknowledged by the use of complete, accurate, and specific references, such as footnotes. Expectations may vary slightly among disciplines. By placing one's name on work submitted for credit, the student certifies the originality of all work not otherwise identified by appropriate acknowledgements. On written assignments, if verbatim statements are included, the statements must be enclosed by quotation marks or set off from regular text as indented extracts. A student will avoid being charged with plagiarism if there is an acknowledgement of indebtedness. Indebtedness must be acknowledged whenever: 1. one quotes another person's actual words or replicates all or part of another's product; 2. one uses another person's ideas, opinions, work, data, or theories, even if they are completely paraphrased in one's own words; 3. one borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials--unless the information is common knowledge. Unauthorized collaboration with others on papers or projects can inadvertently lead to a charge of plagiarism. If in doubt, consult the instructor or seek assistance from your adviser. In addition, it is plagiarism to submit as your own any academic exercise (for example, written work, printing, computer program, art or design work, musical composition, and choreography) prepared totally or in part by another. Plagiarism also includes submitting work in which portions were substantially produced by someone acting as a tutor or editor. 7
Fabrication Fabrication is the intentional use of information that the author has invented when he or she states or implies otherwise, or the falsification of research or other findings with the intent to deceive. Examples include, but are not limited to: 1. citing information not taken from the source indicated; 2. listing sources in a reference not used in the academic exercise; 3. inventing data or source information for research or other academic exercises. Cheating Cheating is an act of deception by which a student misrepresents or misleadingly demonstrates that he or she has mastered information on an academic exercise that he or she has not mastered, including the giving or receiving of unauthorized help in an academic exercise. Examples include, but are not limited to: 1. copying from another student's test paper, computer program, project, product, or performance; 2. collaborating without authority or allowing another student to copy one's work in a test situation; 3. using the course textbook or other material not authorized for use during a test; 4. using unauthorized materials during a test; for example, notes, formula lists, cues on a computer, photographs, symbolic representations, and notes written on clothing; 5. resubmitting substantially the same work that was produced for another assignment without the knowledge and permission of the instructor; 6. taking a test for someone else or permitting someone else to take a test for you. Academic Misconduct Academic misconduct is the intentional violation of university policies, such as tampering with grades, or taking part in obtaining or distributing any part of an unadministered test or any information about the test. Examples include, but are not limited to: 1. stealing, buying, or obtaining in any other unauthorized manner all or part of an unadministered test; 2. selling, trading, or giving away all or part of an unadministered test, including answers to an unadministered test; 3. attempting to change or changing, altering, or being an accessory to changing or altering a grade in a grade book, work submitted on a test or a final project, a "supplementary grade report" form, or other official academic records of the university which relate to grades; 4. entering a building or office for the purpose of obtaining an unadministered test. What can students do to protect themselves from being charged with academic dishonesty? 1. Prepare thoroughly for examinations and assignments. 8
2. Take the initiative to prevent other students from copying exams or assignments; for example, shield answer sheets during examinations, and do not loan completed assignments to other students. 3. Check the course syllabus for a section dealing with academic dishonesty for that course. There may be special requirements. If there is no written section in the syllabus, ask the instructor what his or her expectations are, particularly concerning collaboration and citation. 4. Do not look in the direction of other students' papers during examinations. 5. Utilize a recognized handbook for instruction on citing source materials in papers. Consult with instructors or academic departments when in doubt. 6. Use the services of The Writing Center for assistance in preparing papers. [UT s Writing Center is in Carlson Library 1005, 530-4939.] 7. Discourage dishonesty among other students. 8. Refuse to assist students who cheat. 9. If extraordinary circumstances cause anxiety over taking an exam or getting an assignment in on time, talk to the instructor in advance. It is better to request special arrangements rather than resort to dishonesty. 10. Inform the instructor if you are aware of other students cheating. Reprinted from the University of Oregon website with permission from the University of Oregon Office of Student Judicial Affairs. 9
Tentative Schedule Day Date Topic Readings T 7- Jan Introduction - Syllabus Intro/Syllabus TH 9- Jan The Science of Psychology Ch 1 T 14- Jan The Biological Perspective Ch 2 TH 16- Jan T 21- Jan Sensation and Perception Ch3 TH 23- Jan Exam 1 (Ch. 1-3) No Class T 28- Jan Consciousness: Sleep, Dreams Hypnosis and Drugs Ch 4 TH 30- Jan Learning Ch 5 T 4- Feb TH 6- Feb Memory Ch 6 T 11- Feb TH 13- Feb Exam 2 (Ch. 4-6) No Class T 18- Feb Cognition Ch 7 TH 20- Feb T 25- Feb Development Across the Life Span Ch 8 TH 27- Feb Motivation and Emotion Ch 9 T 4- Mar Spring Break No Class TH 6- Mar Spring Break No Class T 11- Mar TH 13- Mar Exam 3 (Ch. 7-9) No Class T 18- Mar Sexuality and Gender Ch 10 TH 20- Mar Stress and Health Ch 11 T 25- Mar TH 27- Mar Social Psychology Ch 12 T 1- Apr TH 3- Apr Exam 4 (Ch. 10-12) No Class T 8- Apr Theories of Personality Ch 13 TH 10- Apr Psychological Disorders Ch 14 T 15- Apr TH 17- Apr Psychological Therapies Ch 15 T 22- Apr Exam 5 (Ch. 13-15) No Class TH 24- Apr Final Exam Review TH 1- May Final Exam 10